The power that allows a pocket watch to operate is provided by the mainspring. This large spring is coiled tightly inside the mainspring barrel as the watch is wound. Once the watch is running, the power is slowly expelled by the escapement, located at the end of the wheel train. With each "tick" a small amount of force from the mainspring is released, and the wheels rotate slightly... Continue Reading

by Nathan Moore, 4 days ago

By 1868, the American Watch Company in Waltham, Massachusetts, had built the foundation for the watch industry in the United States and secured a place as the premier leader in the market. During this time, the firm Robbins & Appleton served as the factory's sales agent, promoting "Waltham Watches" in a variety of publications. The original advertisement featured in this post leads with the claim that 400,000 Waltham Watches had been sold when published in November 1868 (publication source unknown). "400,000 of these Watches are now speaking for themselves in the pockets of the people - a proof and a guarantee of their superiority, and furnishing the best reason for their great popularity, and justifying the preference uniformly shown them by the public." The advertisement continues by praising the watches made at the factory in Waltham, with special attention given to Fogg's patent safety pinion, one of the most significant new features implemented in production: "An experience of nearly fifteen years has furnished the AMERICAN WATCH COMPANY the opportunity of thoroughly testing all really valuable inventions in Watch-making; and it being the sole aim of the Company to produce Watches which, as time-keepers, would bear comparison with the very best made any where, they now confidently asset that the WALTHAM WATCHES have every improvement which time and experience proved valuable... Continue Reading

by Nathan Moore, 1 week ago

In early 1866, Frederick A. Giles received two separate patents for watch plate designs - one would become the iconic "butterfly cutout" that collectors associate with watches from the United States Watch Company (Marion), while the other was never used in general production. Giles patented his butterfly cutout plate in March 1866, approximately two weeks after his first design. Both creations featured cutouts to expose the escapement through the top plate... Continue Reading

by Nathan Moore, 3 weeks ago